Disney’s first Black Princess

Disney has finally stopped representing black people as animals (i.e The Lion King) and has stepped up to create a new animated feature with its first black princess!

I’m not sure if she starts off as a frog or what the frog has to do with the story… (sigh), but I’m still looking forward to gathering up a gaggle of little girls to go and check it out. I hope they dont mess it up. She’s from New Orleans – so fingers crossed.

Speaking of black bodies and animation – (and the next blog Im writing for you!) I went to WonderCon in San Francisco and met a whole bunch of up and coming and old school black comic and cartoon artists. I’m really excited about their work in relationship to my dissertation work.

I also got to check out Nalo Hopkinson who did a reading at Revolution Books in Berkeley, author of one of the books I’m writing on for my dissertation, Midnight Robber. She spoke about many things, but interestingly enough responded to a white mother, who asked a question about hybridity and identity and science fiction and referred to her mixed race daughter as an example of the future of race in the US. (READ: “race doesnt matter”)… I know you are waiting on the edge of your seats to hear what my gurl had to say.

Wow! That is exciting news. It is long overdo as well. My boyfriend, who is, among other things, an aspiring screenwriter, and I were discussing just the other day how there is such a lack of strong black characters in TV dramas as well. Grey’s Anatomy has two, a male and a female, but they are often overshadowed by Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo. Good for Disney.

hi, i found your blog by chance, and want to compliment u for it.
I am writing from italy.
i set up a self -help group for kids of the african diaspora, and their parents , adoptive or biological.
in italy our kids are in the minority wherever they go, and they do not ever see themselves represented in books or even play materials at school.
There are no black teachers, and hardly any black people on tv, or in cartoons.
The model of beauty is that of the blonde blue eyed princess, and our kids have to measure up to that standard daily.
in our group we try to give them positive images, which reflect their beauty and self.
but is not easy, the general view, is similar to that of the white mother u quoted
(“race don’t matter”, etc etc….) at best, at worst is of open racism…..
if u like , visit our site.